Richard Strauss

12:00pm

Metropolitan Opera: Arabella

Airs Saturday, April 19 at 12 noon. The 2013-14 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with a live broadcast of Richard Strauss’s elegant romance Arabella. Philippe Auguin conducts a cast full of debuting artists. Swedish soprano Malin Byström, who made a notable Met debut in Gounod’s Faust two seasons ago, sings the role of the levelheaded, yet idealistic Arabella. German baritone Michael Volle, a leading exponent of dramatic baritone roles in Europe, has made his Met debut this season as Arabella's suitor Mandryka. Also new to the Met this season are soprano Juliane Banse, who sings the role of Arabella's sister Zdenka, tenor Roberto Saccà as Matteo, and bass-baritone Martin Winkler as Count Waldner. Arabella will be heard live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network.

11:00am

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Airs Monday, March 31 at 11 a.m. This week on the Pittsburgh Symphony baritone Thomas Hampson will join maestro Manfred Honeck for the Orchestral Songs for Baritone and Orchestra by Richard Strauss. Also joining maetsro Honeck will be french horn soloist William Cabellero who will be featured in the Horn Concerto No. 1 also by Richard Strauss. The concert will open with John Stafford Smith’s arrangement of the “The Star Spangled Banner" and the concert will conclude with Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World."

12:00pm

Metropolitan Opera

Airs Saturday, February 15 at 12 noon. The 2013-14 Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast season continues with an archival broadcast of Richard Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten from last fall, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski and featuring two highly acclaimed performances from the leading sopranos: Anne Schwanewilms in her network broadcast debut as the Empress; and Christine Goerke, who has recently emerged as a major dramatic soprano, singing the role of the Dyer’s Wife.

12:00pm

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Airs Saturday, June 8 at 12 noon. Join us this Saturday at noon for an operatic double feature with Richard Strauss' Elektra sung in German and Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel also sung in German. Elektra features in the title roll, Emily Magee as Chrysothemis, Jill Grove as Clytemnestra with Alan Held as Orestes and Roger Honeywell as Aegisthus. Sir Andrew Davis conducts this production directed by David McVicar. In Hansel & Gretel Elizabeth DeShong plays Hansel and Maria Kanyova plays Gretel with Jill Grove as the Witch, Julie Makerov as the Mother and Brian Mulligan as the father. Eric Einhorn directs this production with Ward Stare conducting.

Cultural, Community, Information

Airs Saturday, June 9 at 12:00 noon. Vienna’s richest man is planning an incredible party. First — guests will enjoy a serious opera (the Prima Donna plays Ariadne, who’s ready to die on the island of Naxos because her lover’s jilted her). Then comes a ribald comedy, starring saucy Zerbinetta (who’s got a Ph.D. in flirting). And finally, there’s to be a pyrotechnic display. But the host suddenly decides both productions must take place simultaneously so the fireworks can start promptly at nine! The Composer’s aghast and the Prima Donna’s horrified. But watch what happens when Zerbinetta gets into the act and determines that Ariadne’s “tragedy” shouldn’t end unhappily after all! This is Strauss à la Rosenkavalier, with sparkling, luscious music that wraps itself around a witty comedy.

As Ariadne, Amber Wagner is vocally thrilling. Her voice is truly dramatic, with both amplitude and nuance. Zerbinetta’s all about stratospheric vocal acrobatics — ideal for Anna Christy, who entrances listeners with her coloratura fireworks display. The Composer is a poster child for impetuosity, and Alice Coote’s portrayal oozes emotional energy — her singing is glorious. Bacchus must sweep Ariadne off her feet — and tenor sensation Brandon Jovanovich will do just that, vocally descending from the heavens with swashbuckling boldness!